Corporate Governance Consulting

How to build a better board

Conduct corporate governance audits - Our goal is to help each client develop practices and procedures applicable to the board and corporate secretary’s office that meet national and/or peer group norms and that are appropriate to their organization.

We inventory the company’s practices and work with the corporate secretary and general counsel to ensure that the company has the full panoply of governance practices and procedures that the organization needs. Following the audit, we assist corporate secretaries to make sure the new procedures are properly implemented.

Articulate board and committee roles and responsibilities - We work with boards, committees, and senior management to identify the roles that each play in the organization’s governance. Through this collaborative process, we work with senior corporate staff to articulate the conclusions in documents such as governance principles, committee charters, director responsibilities, and other pertinent governance policies.

Develop codes of conduct - In an increasingly globalized economy, we help organizations evaluate their codes of ethics and business conduct and draft changes that may be appropriate, taking into account the particular needs of each company and its businesses.

Establish effective board organization and board calendars - Governance suffers when boards and corporate staff lack efficient and effective processes and organizational tools. We review current practices, compare them against the board’s and committees’ responsibilities and then work with boards to organize their activities in a cogent, efficient annual calendar tailored to the board’s specific needs.

Tailor appropriate information packages - Boards need regular information to monitor company operations and to make decisions. We work with managements and boards to develop information packages which in content and presentation are oriented to the board’s requirements.

Develop director and officer orientation programs - New board members and senior staff often assume their offices without a working knowledge of governance principles, the role of the board, and the governance practices of the company. We help companies tailor materials, and we conduct educational sessions for their boards and senior staff that orient them both to the organization’s business and to their particular governance responsibilities.